Chelsea Independent College

Overview

Chelsea Independent College is located in Fulham in south east London. It emphasises small class sizes and a personal style of teaching, and hosts around 160 students, with almost 50% international from 39 nationalities outside the EU. Many teachers have experience working as examiners and 50% hold a degree from a top 10 university.

Student alumni can be found at Oxford, Cambridge, UCL and York amongst others. Each student is treated individually, with a strong understanding of their personal learning style, strengths and weaknesses which can be used to influence teaching style and lesson content. Exam techniques are developed through fortnightly mock examinations. All students are assigned a personal tutor, and can receive free one-to-one support from teachers at any time during the school day.

Services for International Students

Chelsea Independent College provides extra academic and pastoral support to international students and keeps in close contact with parents and guardians to ensure that students are successful and comfortable. Students are assigned to a personal tutor, with weekly meetings to discuss progress, targets and any problems outside academic studies.

At the beginning of term, staff can arrange an airport pickup and help students to settle into their rooms. The first day hosts an introduction and orientation programme for students to get to know the college and surrounding area.

Accommodation

There are two main accommodation areas providing rooms for a little over 200 students, both close to the colleges. The larger, Princess Beatrice House, is in Earl’s Court just over five minutes away and the smaller, Fulham Palace Studios is in Hammersmith, ten minutes away. The latter consists of new studio apartments, allowing for greater independence for students, while Princess Beatrice House is made up of rooms housing one to three students. All rooms are en suite and fully catered. Both boarding houses are located in a safe area of London, with 24-hour security and reception, as well as live-in boarding supervisors.

Location

Chelsea and Fulham are bordered by the upmarket districts of Kensington and Belgravia, some of the capital’s most exclusive and safe areas. They feature boutique shopping, world famous restaurants, premier sports stadiums and green parks. Stretching out of Fulham, King’s Road has been synonymous with music and fashion since the 1960s and one of the world’s most trendy shopping streets is quite literally around the corner. Many world-renowned artists and writers have lived and worked in the area and The Saatchi Gallery, close to Sloane Square, hosts exhibitions of international contemporary art.